Grain-separator.



No. 646,955. Patented Apr. I0, 1900.

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GRAIN SEPARATOR.

(Application filed Apr. 16, 1889.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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N9.;646,955; Patented A r: :0 I900.

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GRAIN SEPARATOB. (Application filed Apr. 15, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Shaet 2."

(No' Model.)

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FRANKLIN W. CRAIG, OF MARION, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF TIIREE-FOURTHS TOJOHN B. NEAL, J R., WVILLIAM S. ROBINSON, AND SAMUELR. BONHAM;

OF SAME PLACE.

GRAlN-SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 646,955, dated April10, 1900.

I Application filed April 15, 1399. serial No. 713,139. (N model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN W. CRAIG, a citizen of the United States,residing at Marion, in the county of Smyth and State of Virginia, haveinvented a new and useful Grain- Separator, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in grain-separators; and one objectin View is to provide a simple construction which may be easily operatedto eifect the separation of the desirable first-grade wheat from thecheat, cockle, rye, and faulty grain.

Afurther-objectin view is to provide means by which the inclination andshaking movement of the separator-shoe may be regulated to vary the rateof feed of the grain through said shoe and to secure a thoroughseparation or grading of the wheat from the tailings.

With these ends in View the invention consists in the novel combinationof elements and in the construction and arrangement of parts, which willbe hereinafter fully described and claimed.

To enable others to understand the invention, I have illustrated thesame in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,and in which-= Figure 1 is a perspective view of a grainseparatorconstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevationlooking at the delivery end of the shaking-shoe. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal sectional view on the plane indicated by the dotted line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional elevation on the planeindicated by the dotted line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a horizontalsectional plan view on a plane above the cross-bar of thesupporting-frame, the section being taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view of theshaking-shoe, showing the canvas receptacle.

The same numerals of reference are used to indicate like andcorresponding parts in each of the several figures of the drawings.

The shaking-shoe 10 of my improved grainseparator is constructed withaplurality of screens arranged to effect the thorough separation of thewheat from the cheat, cockle, rye, and faulty grain and also toeifectually .aswill hereinafter appear. substantial frame 11 of suitabledimensions grade the wheat into desirable first and second qualities ofgrain. This shaking-shoe is peculiar to my separator in that it isarranged in an inclined position and is mounted or suspended for arectilinear lateral movement,

and preferably rectangular in form, and said frame is equipped withbattens 12 13 on the lower side thereof, said battens arranged tosecurely fasten the wheat and cockle screens to the frame. The interiorof the frame proper, 11, is divided into compartments by the employmentof transverse partitions 1t 15 and the longitudinal partition 16'. Thepartitions 1 1 15 are secured to the sides of the frame at properdistances from the ends thereof and from each other, and thesetransverse partitions are arranged slightly above the plane of the upperwheatscreen, so that the grain will pass beneath the partitions Thisshoe has a in order to travel lengthwise of the shoe.

The longitudinal partition 16 is between and parallel to the sides ofthe frame, and at its ends said partition 16 is fastened to thetransverse partition 15 and the head-rail of the frame 11. The upperWheat-screen 17 consists of a series of sections 18 19 20, the meshes ofwhich are of differentsizes. These screen-sections 18 to 20, inclusive,are fitted to the lower edge of the frame 11 and are clamped firmly inplace by the battens 12, which are fastened to said frame 11', wherebythe battens and the partitions serve to stretch the sectionalwheat-screen 17, and thereby maintain said screen in a taut condition toinsure efficiency in the separation of the tailings from the desirablefirst grade of wheat.

The grain from an elevated hopper is directed by suitable deliverydevices upon the screen-section 18 at the head of the shoe,and saidscreen-section 18 is made of wire fabric the meshes of which areapproximatelythree by ten to the square inch. The next section 19 of theupper wheat-screen has smaller meshes, which are approximately seven byseven to the square inch, and the lower section 20 of the upper wheatscreen is made of meshed fabric, the meshes of the screen 20 being fourby four to the square inch. The

2 easiest lower screen 21 of the shaking-shoe is a single piece of wirefabric arranged at a properdistance below and parallel to the upperwheatscreen 17. This lower screen 21 is the cocklescreen, and its meshesare approximately three by twelve to the square inch. The final screen22 is a short screen below the screen 21 at the lower delivery end. ofthe shaking-shoe, and the meshes of said screen 22 are sixteen bysixteen to the square inch. The upper screen 17 of the shoe is arrangedto deliver the first grade of wheat to a transverse chute 22, which isarranged at the lower end of the shoe, so as to have the open deliveryend of said chute discharge into a receptacle placed at one side of themachine. The chute 23 is adjacent to the wheat-chute 22, and it receivesthe second grade of wheat or tailings from the screens 21 and 22. On theunder side of the shaking-shoe is a canvas receptacle 24, which coversthe lower screen 21 in order to receive the tailings which passtherethrough. The lower screen '21 is fastened to the shoe-frame bymeans of the battens 13, which are fastened to the battens 12in order toclamp said screen 21 between the two sets of battens, and the canvasreceptacle 24 is fastened to the lower set of battens 13 in any suitableway, said receptacle having a central discharge-spout 25.

The wheat passes over the sectional upper screen 17 of theshaking-shoe,while the faulty grain, cheat, rye, and cockle pass throughthis upper screen and lodge upon the second screen 21. The second gradeof wheat passes over this lower screen 21, while the tailings passthrough said lower screen and accumulate in the canvas receptacle. Atthe delivery end of the shaking-shoe I employ a gate 26, which ispivotallysupported, as at 27, in the side rails of the frame 11. Saidgate is hung to the shoe-frameabove the upper screen 17, and any largegrain, beans, or peas are free to pass this gate, while the wheat passesthrough the screen-section 20 and is deposited in the transverse chute22.

The shaking-shoe of my separator is suspended in an inclined positionwithin an upright frame. This frame has a pair of posts 28, which areunited firmly together by the transverse braces 29 30, and said postsare also provided with feet or bases 31, which serve to sustain theseparator firmly in place on the floor without fastening the supportingframe in position. The hopper 32 of the separator is supportedon the posts of said frame by the cap-rails 32 and in the bottom of thishopper is a discharge-opening 33. A slide or regulating valve 34 isadapted to traverse the delivery-opening of the hopper, and said valveis adjusted by means of a rod 36. Said rod has its inner end fastenedfirmly to the slide-valve, and it passes loosely through an openin g inone wall of the hopper. A protruding end of the valve-rod is formed witha handle 37, which may be adjusted. to enciprocating movement.

gage with either of a series of notches pro vided in the corrugatedkeeper 38, which is fastened to one of the cap-rails 32 at a pointoutside of the hopper and within convenient reach of the operator. Toadjust the valve, the rod 36 is turned to free its handle 37 from thekeeper, and said rod may then be moved endwise through the aperture ofthe hopper to adjust the valve 34 to the desired position across thedelivery-opening 33, thus regulating the flow of grain from the hopperto the feed-chute 39. The handle of the valve-rod is adapted to engagewith the keeper in order to prevent the valve from moving accidentallyout of position. v

The feed-chute 39 is arranged in an inclined position below the hopper32, and said chute extends beyond the frame andhopper to a positioncontiguous to thehead of the inclined shoe 10 in order to deliver thegrain upon the upper section 18 of the wheat-screen 17. The feed-chuteis suspended by means of hangers 40, which are attached to eyebolts 41on the hopper or the cap-rails 32 of the frame, and the inclination ofthis feed-chute may readily be varied by means of an adjusting link orlinks 42, connected with the chute 39 and adapted to engage with one orthe other of a series of adjacent eyes 43, supported on the front wallof the hopper. The transverse brace 30 of the supporting-frame, whichlies below the hopper 32, is provided with longitudinal slots 44, whichlie transversely or at right angles to the axis of the inclined shoe-10,and through these slots 44 pass the hangers 45, that serve to suspendthe shaking-shoe 10. The upper ends of the hangers 45 are pivotallyconnected to the caprails 32 of the frame, and the lower ends of saidhangers are connected detachably to the sides of the shoe-frame 11.Thehangers are free to move or play in the slots 44 of the frame-brace30 in a direction at right angles to the axis of the shaking-shoe 10,and said hangers serve to permit the shoe to move or reciprocatelaterally, whereby the slotted brace-rail 30 prevents the hangers andthe shoe-framefrom partaking of an endwise-re- As shown by the drawings,the side rails of the frame 11 are provided with eyebolts 46 47 atpoints intermediate their length for the detachable connection of thehangers 45 to the shoe-frame, andthis connection of the hangers to theframe permits the latter to be easily removed from the machine.

As one means for driving the inclined shoe in a lateral rectilinear pathI employ the driving-lever 48, which is erected in an upright positionon the brace 30 of the supporting-frame. This driving-leveris fulcrumedat a point intermediate its length, as at 49, to a bolt 50, which issupported by the stirrup 5l. The lower end of the driving-lever has aloose connection 52 with the shoe-frame, and the vibration of the leveron this fulcrum of the driving-lever 48 has a the hangers.

serves to move the shoe-frame in a lateral rectilinear path, the hangers45 swaying with the shoe-frame in order to play in the slots 44, whichconfine the hangers, and the shoe against endwise movement. The upperend series of apertures 53, into either of which may be fitted one endof a pitman 54, whereby the pitman may be shifted on the driving-leverto vary the stroke or movement thereof and cor-respondingly regulate thelateral shaking travel given to the inclined shoe. This pitman 54 isconnected operatively with a crank of the crank-shaft 55, which isjournaled in the proper bearings 56 of the hopper-arms 57, which arefastened to the hopper at one end thereof or to the cap-rails of thesupportingframe. It is to be observed that the lever is fulcrumed abovethe shoe and that its lower end is pivoted to the shoe nearly in linewith The link connection between the upper end of the lever and thecrankshaft imparts vibration to the lever for the purpose of making thelever impart a like vibration to the shoe.

It will be observed that theinclined shoe is suspended at pointsintermediate its length by the hangers 45, and in order to prevent theshoe from tilting on the hangers and to provide for the adjustment ofthe shoe to variable inclinations I employ the adjustable link 58. Oneend of this link is connected loosely to an eye or staple on theshoe-frame near the lower end thereof, and the other end of said linkhas shiftable connection into engagement with either of a verticalseries of eyes 59, which are attached to the rear wall of the elevatedhopper 32. It will be noted that the upper end of the link 58 may beconnected to the lower eye of the series of eyes 59 to give acertaininclination to the shoe-frame. To vary the angle of said shoe,the link 58 may be connected to the upper or intermediate eye of theseries 5 9.

The grain passes from the hopper through the opening 33 into thefeed-chute 39, which in turn deposits the grain upon the section 18 ofthe upper screen. The operator rotates the crank of the shaft 55 todrive the lever 48, which impart-s the lateral shaking motion to thesuspended shoe, and in the movement or travel of this shoe the link 58turns freely on its connections with the hopperand the lower part of theshoe-frame. As the shoe is shaken transversely the grain is distributedover the screen-section 17 on opposite sides of the iongitudinalpartiton l6, and the grain is caused by gravity to travel along thesections 18 19 20 of the upper screen. The desirable first grade ofwheat is retained by the upper screen until it reaches the section 20 atthe lower end of the shoe, and this first-grade wheat is free to passthrough the screemsection 20, while the peas and beans are dischargedfrom the shoe past the gate 26. The second grade of wheat passes throughthe upper screen 17 and lodges upon the screen 21 and is discharged fromthis screen 21 into the chute 23, while the rye, &c., pass into thecanvas receptacle 24 to be discharged from the spout 25 thereof. Theinclination of the feed-chute 39 may be varied by adjusting the link 42,and in like manner the inclination of the shoe 10 may be varied byadjusting the link 58, whereby the capacity of the shoe to clean thegrain may be regulated, and the wheat is graded to suit commercialdemands. The travel of the inclined shoe will be regulated by adjustingthe pitman 54 toward or from the fulcrum of the driving-lever48, thuschanging the capacity of the shoe.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details ofconstruction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted towithout departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages ofthis invention.

What I claim is- 1. In a grain-separator, the combination with an openframe, and a hopper, of the inclined shoe within said frame, the singlepair of hangers connected pivotally to the frame and to the shoe nearthe middle of its length, the adj usting-link connecting the lower endof the shoe to the frame, and said link coacting with the hangers tothereby suspend the shoe within the open frame, means for adjusting thelink endwise and changing the angle of inclination of the shoe, meansfor driving the inclined suspended shoe in a lateral path and connectedto the shoe independently of the hangers or the adjusting-link, and guiding devices arranged transversely to the lon gitudinal axis of the shoeand slidably receiving the. hangers to allow the lateral swing thereofand the consequent lateral movement of the shoe, but restraining thelatter against longitudinal movement, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the open frame, the hopper, the shakingscreen-shoe, the transverse brace, 30, above the shoe and formed withthe longitudinal guide slots, 44, the

hangers pivoted to the frame above said brace,

passing through said guide-slots, and connected at their lower ends tothe shoe near the middle of its length, the lever fulcrumed above theshoe and pivoted at its lower end to the shoe nearly in line with thehangers,means connected with the upper end of said lever for impartingvibration thereto, and theadjusting-link supporting the lower end ofsaid shoe, substantially as described.

3. In a grain-separator, the combination of a frame having one of thebraces thereof provided with longitudinal slots, said slots arranged atright angles to the longitudinal axis of a separator-shoe, hangersconnected to said frame and passing freely through said slots, aninclined shoe connected about the middle of its length to said hangers,a hopper, means for conveying grain from said hopper to the shoe, anendwise-movable ad justing-link conheated to the shoe and havingshiftable oon- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as neotion withthe hopper for varying the inmy own I have hereto affixed my signaturein clination of the shoe, said link and hangers the presence of twoWitnesses. cooperating to Wholly suspend the shoe Within FRANKLIN XV.CRAIG.

5 the frame, and means for imparting a lateral Witnesses:

positive shaking motion to the shoe, substan- J. H. GOLLEHON,

tially as described. JNO. R. SEXTON.

